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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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##@££*\»., SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., CONSIDERED POOR. ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, ** ** ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, ** ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., ** ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, ** ** ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, ** ** ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, ** ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, FLOOR. ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, ** ** ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, ** ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,,,,.»\*£
*\».,,,,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,,,,.»\*
\».,,,,,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,,,,,.»\
*\».,,,,,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,,,,,.»\*
£*\».,,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,,.»\*£
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
@££*\».,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,.»\*££@
#@££*\».,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,.»\*££@#
##@££*\»., GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,.»\*££@##
#@££*\».,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,.»\*££@#
@££*\».,,, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,,,.»\*££@
££*\».,,,, ,,,,.»\*££
£*\».,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,.»\*£
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